Bakersfield, California

"Bakersfield" redirects here. For other uses, see Bakersfield (disambiguation).
Bakersfield, California
Charter city, county seat
City of Bakersfield

Bakersfield skyline at night with the Rabobank Arena in the foreground.

Flag
Seal

The Bakersfield Sign, in April 2009.
Nickname(s): Nashville West[1]

Location of Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California

Location in the United States

Coordinates: 35°22′N 119°1′W / 35.367°N 119.017°W / 35.367; -119.017Coordinates: 35°22′N 119°1′W / 35.367°N 119.017°W / 35.367; -119.017
Country  United States of America
State  California
County

Kern

Region San Joaquin Valley
Incorporated 1873–1876
Re-incorporated January 11, 1898[2]
Named for Thomas Baker
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 • Body Bakersfield City Council
 • Mayor Harvey Hall[3]
 • City Manager Alan Tandy[4]
 • Finance director Nelson Smith[5]
 • City clerk Roberta Gafford[6]
Area[7]
 • City 143.609 sq mi (371.946 km2)
 • Land 142.164 sq mi (368.204 km2)
 • Water 1.445 sq mi (3.742 km2)  1.01%
 • Urban 138.44 sq mi (358.6 km2)
 • Metro 8,161.42 sq mi (21,138.0 km2)
Elevation[8] 404 ft (123 m)
Population (April 1, 2010)[9]
 • City 347,483
 • Estimate (2013) 363,630
 • Rank 1st in Kern County
9th in California
52nd in the United States
 • Density 2,400/sq mi (930/km2)
 • Urban[10] 523,994
 • Urban density 3,800/sq mi (1,500/km2)
 • Metro[11] 839,631
 • Metro density 100/sq mi (40/km2)
Demonym(s) Bakersfieldian
Time zone Pacific (UTC−8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC−7)
ZIP codes 93220, 93241, 93301–93309, 93311–93314, 93263, 93380–93390, 93399
Area code 661
FIPS code 06-03526
GNIS feature IDs 1652668, 2409774
Website www.bakersfieldcity.us

Bakersfield is a city in Southern California, United States near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County. The city is 110 mi (180 km) north of Los Angeles and about the same distance south of Fresno. It is an inland city about 135 mi (217 km) east of Pismo Beach on the Pacific Ocean. Bakersfield’s population is around 375,000,[12] making it the 9th largest city in California and the 52nd largest city in the United States. The city is also the county seat for Kern County, which encompasses the entire MSA[13] and is the third largest county in California by area. The total Bakersfield inner urban area, which includes East Bakersfield and Rosedale, has a population of about 464,000.

Bakersfield is in Kern County which is generally considered part of Southern California and shares its southern border with Los Angeles County. However, many residents consider Bakersfield to be more a part of Central California as it is near Kings and Tulare counties and is a hub for agriculture and oil production.

Bakersfield is the focal point of the larger Bakersfield-Delano, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is coextensive with Kern County. In 2010, it had a population of 839,631, making it the 62nd largest metropolitan area in United States.[14]

Bakersfield has a very diverse economy. Kern County is the most productive oil producing county,[15] and the fourth most productive agricultural county (by value) in the United States.[13] Other industries include natural gas and other energy extraction, aerospace, mining, petroleum refining, manufacturing, distribution, food processing, and corporate/regional headquarters.[16]

History

Archaeological evidence indicates the presence of Native American settlements dating back thousands of years.[17] The Yokuts lived in lodges[18] along the branches of the Kern River Delta and hunted antelope, tule elk, deer, bear, fish, and game birds. In 1776, Spanish missionary Father Francisco Garcés became the first European to explore the area. Owing to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the region, however, the Yokuts remained largely isolated until after the Mexican War of Independence, when Mexican settlers began to migrate to the area. Following the discovery of gold in California in 1848, settlers flooded into the San Joaquin Valley. In 1851, gold was discovered along the Kern River in the southern Sierra Nevada, and in 1865, oil was discovered in the valley.[19] The Bakersfield area, once a tule-reed-covered marshland, was first known as Kern Island to the handful of pioneers who built log cabins there in 1860. The area was subject to periodic flooding from the Kern River, which occupied what is now the downtown area, and experienced outbreaks of malaria.[20]

Founding

In 1862, disastrous floods swept away the original settlement founded in 1860 by the German-born Christian Bohna.[21] Among those attracted to the area by the California gold rush was Thomas Baker, a lawyer and former colonel in the militia of Ohio, his home state.[21][22] Baker moved to the banks of the Kern River in 1863,[21] at what became known as Baker’s Field, which became a stopover for travelers.[23] By 1870, with a population of 600, what is now known as Bakersfield was becoming the principal town in Kern County.[21]

In 1873, Bakersfield was officially incorporated as a city,[21] and by 1874 it officially replaced the dying town of Havilah as the county seat.[21] Alexander Mills was hired as the city marshal, a man one historian would describe as "... an old man by the time he became Marshal of Bakersfield, and he walked with a cane. But he was a Kentuckian, a handy man with a gun, and not lacking in initiative and resource when the mood moved him." [24] Businessmen and others began to resent Mills, who was cantankerous and high-handed in his treatment of them. Wanting to fire him but fearing reprisals, they came up with a scheme to disincorporate, effectively leaving him without an employer. According to local historian Gilbert Gia, the city was also failing to collect the taxes it needed for services.[25] In 1876,[26] the city voted to disincorporate. For the next 22 years, a citizen's council managed the community.[27]

By 1880, the town had a population of 801, and by 1890, it had a population of 2,626. Migration from Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Southern California brought new residents, who were mostly employed by the oil industry.

The city reincorporated on January 11, 1898.[28]

1952 earthquake

The First Baptist Church building, which survived the 1952 earthquake and is now a commercial use structure, is one of several buildings in Bakersfield listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

On July 21, 1952, an earthquake struck at 4:52 am Pacific Daylight Time.[29] The earthquake, which measured 7.5 on the moment magnitude scale and was felt from San Francisco to the Mexican border, destroyed the nearby communities of Tehachapi and Arvin. The earthquake's destructive force also bent cotton fields into U shapes, slid a shoulder of the Tehachapi Mountains across all four lanes of the Ridge Route, collapsed a water tower creating a flash flood, and destroyed the railroad tunnels in the mountain chain. Bakersfield was spared, experiencing minor architectural damage without loss of life.

A large aftershock occurred on July 29, and did minor architectural damage, but raised fears that the flow of the Friant-Kern Canal could be dangerously altered, potentially flooding the city and surrounding areas.

Aftershocks, for the next month, had become normal to Bakersfield residents, until August 22 at 3:42 pm a 5.8 earthquake struck directly under the town's center in the most densely populated area of the southern San Joaquin Valley. Four people died in the aftershock, and many of the town's historic structures were permanently lost.

20th and 21st centuries

Between 1970 and 2010, Bakersfield grew 400% (from 70,000 to 347,483),[30] making it one of the fastest growing cities in California.[13]

Bakersfield's close proximity to mountain passes, primarily the Tejon Pass on Interstate 5 between the Los Angeles metropolis and the central San Joaquin Valley, has made the city a transportation hub.[31]

In 1990, Bakersfield was one of ten U.S. communities to receive the All-America City Award from the National Civic League.

In 2010, the Bakersfield MSA had a gross metropolitan product of $29.466 billion, making it the 73rd largest metropolitan economy in the United States.[32]

Geography

Truxtun Tower, also referred to as the Bank of America Building, is the tallest in downtown and the second tallest building in Bakersfield.

Bakersfield lies near the southern "horseshoe" end of the San Joaquin Valley, with the southern tip of the Sierra Nevada just to the east. The city limits extend to the Sequoia National Forest, at the foot of the Greenhorn Mountain Range and at the entrance to the Kern Canyon.[33] To the south, the Tehachapi Mountains feature the historic Tejon Ranch. To the west is the Temblor Range, behind which is the Carrizo Plain National Monument and the San Andreas Fault. The Temblor Range is about 35 mi (56 km) from Bakersfield across the valley floor.[34]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 143.6 sq mi (372 km2), of which 142.2 sq mi (368 km2) is land (98.99%) and 1.4 sq mi (3.6 km2) is covered by water (1.01%).

At the 2000 census, the city had a total area of 114.4 sq mi (296 km2), of which 113.1 sq mi (293 km2) was land (98.86%) and 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) was water-covered (1.14%).

Bakersfield lies around 100 miles (160 km) north of Los Angeles (about a 1½-hour drive on I-5 and State Route 99) and about 300 mi (480 km) southeast of the state capital, Sacramento (about a 4½-hour drive on State Route 99).

Communities and neighborhoods

A panoramic view of Bakersfield, taken from Stockdale Tower, the tallest building in the city, facing east/northeast: The office buildings in the foreground make up a mini financial district and regional offices for many oil companies that operate in the region; the major street to their right is California Avenue. Towards the upper right is downtown Bakersfield, marked by the black-with-white-roof Truxtun Tower (the second tallest building in the city). The area rising in the background-right is East Bakersfield. The mountain range in the background is the Greenhorn Mountains.

Bakersfield has historically referred to its regions by directional names. They are: Central Bakersfield, North Bakersfield, Northeast, East Bakersfield, Southeast, South Bakersfield, Southwest, and Northwest. With the exception of Central and East Bakersfield, all regions extend to the city limits. East Bakersfield generally refers to the former town of Sumner (later renamed East Bakersfield). As a result, the Northeast wraps around East Bakersfield.[35]

Climate

Dense tule fog in Bakersfield, California. Visibility in this photo is less than 500 ft.

Although the region hosts abundant green and leafy vegetation due to the hydrology of the Tulare Basin, Bakersfield has a desert climate (Köppen BWh),[36] with long, hot, dry summers, and brief, cool, moist (but not wet) winters. In fact, Bakersfield enjoys more clear days than the majority of the U.S. (averaging 191 days a year).[37] Bakersfield enjoys long-lasting, mild autumns, and warm springs, giving the region a unique climate suitable for growing a wide variety of crops (ranging from carrots to citrus, almonds, and pistachios). Rainfall averages only 6.5 in (165 mm) annually, mostly falling during winter and spring. Typically, no rain falls from May through September.

Summers have extended stretches of hot weather, with 108 days per year above 90 °F (32 °C) (on average between April 19 and October 12);[38] in addition, 33 days are above 100 °F (38 °C) from late May to mid-September,[38] and a 110 °F day can occur every few years. Winters feature mild daytime temperatures, but frost can be occasionally seen, often coming with dense tule fog and low visibility, causing many schools to have fog delays as long as three hours. The official time frame for tule fog to form is from November 1 to March 31.[39] There are 12 nights with freezing lows (on average between December 13 and January 26) annually,[38] and the coldest night of the year will typically bottom out below 30 °F (-1 °C).[40]

Snow is rare on the valley floor; but it does snow in Bakersfield about once every 20 to 30 years.[41] The last time it snowed was on January 25, 1999, when the city received 6 in (150 mm).[42] The record maximum temperature was 118 °F (48 °C) on July 28, 1908, and the record minimum temperature was 11 °F (-12 °C) on January 3, 1908.[43] The most rainfall in one month was 5.82 inches (148 mm) in December 2010,[44] and the maximum 24-hour rainfall was 2.29 in (58 mm) on February 9, 1978.[45]

Climate data for Bakersfield, California (1981–2010 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 82
(28)		 88
(31)		 94
(34)		 101
(38)		 110
(43)		 114
(46)		 118
(48)		 117
(47)		 112
(44)		 104
(40)		 95
(35)		 87
(31)		 118
(48)
Average high °F (°C) 56.2
(13.4)		 62.8
(17.1)		 68.7
(20.4)		 75.0
(23.9)		 83.5
(28.6)		 90.9
(32.7)		 97.1
(36.2)		 95.8
(35.4)		 90.0
(32.2)		 79.4
(26.3)		 65.7
(18.7)		 56.6
(13.7)		 76.8
(24.9)
Average low °F (°C) 39.3
(4.1)		 42.4
(5.8)		 46.5
(8.1)		 50.2
(10.1)		 57.5
(14.2)		 64.2
(17.9)		 70.5
(21.4)		 69.0
(20.6)		 64.0
(17.8)		 55.0
(12.8)		 44.6
(7)		 39.0
(3.9)		 53.5
(11.9)
Record low °F (°C) 12
(−11)		 20
(−7)		 20
(−7)		 28
(−2)		 34
(1)		 38
(3)		 45
(7)		 44
(7)		 30
(−1)		 29
(−2)		 22
(−6)		 13
(−11)		 12
(−11)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.15
(29.2)		 1.23
(31.2)		 1.21
(30.7)		 .52
(13.2)		 .18
(4.6)		 .08
(2)		 0
(0)		 .04
(1)		 .08
(2)		 .30
(7.6)		 .64
(16.3)		 1.02
(25.9)		 6.45
(163.7)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 6.7 7.1 6.5 3.7 1.7 .5 .1 .3 1.0 1.8 3.9 5.9 39.2
Source: NOAA (extremes 1893–present)[38]

Air quality problems

In 2015, The American Lung Association ranked Bakersfield as the second-most polluted city in the United States in terms of both short-term and year-round particle pollution.[46] It also ranked Bakersfield third as the most ozone-polluted city in the United States. In Peter Greenberg's book Don't Go There!, Bakersfield is mentioned for its high ozone levels, and postulates that its rapid increase in size is causing the increasing rate of pollution from new construction.[47]

As of 2013, when measured by atmospheric particulate matter—specifically PM10, particles of 10 µm or less—Bakersfield is listed as having the worst air in the United States.[48]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880801—
18902,626227.8%
19004,83684.2%
191012,727163.2%
192018,63846.4%
193026,01539.6%
194029,25212.4%
195034,78418.9%
196056,84863.4%
197069,51522.3%
1980105,61151.9%
1990174,82065.5%
2000247,05741.3%
2010347,48340.6%
Est. 2014368,759[49]6.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[50]
Racial composition 2010[51] 1990[52] 1970[52] 1940[52]
White 56.8% 72.7% 83.6% 94.6%
—Non-Hispanic 37.8% 65.9% 70.8%[53] n/a
Black or African American 8.2% 9.4% 13.3% 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 45.5% 20.5% 10.9%[53] n/a
Asian 6.2% 3.6% 1.1% −

2010

The 2010 United States Census[54] reported that Bakersfield had a population of 347,483. The population density was 2,419.6 people per square mile (934.2/km²). The racial makeup of Bakersfield was 197,349 (56.8%) White, 28,368 (8.2%) African American, 5,102 (1.5%) Native American, 21,432 (6.2%) Asian (2.1% Indian, 2.0% Filipino, 0.5% Chinese, 0.4% Korean, 0.2% Japanese, 478 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 77,686 (22.4%) from other races, and 17,068 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 158,205 persons (45.5%). Among the Hispanic population, 39.5% are Mexican, 1.3% Salvadoran, 0.5% Guatemalan, and 0.10% Colombian. Non-Hispanic Whites were 37.8% of the population in 2010,[55] compared to 71% in 1980.[52]

The census reported 344,088 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 2,094 (0.6%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 1,301 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

Of the 111,132 households, 51,995 (46.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 57,276 (51.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 18,049 (16.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 7,829 (7.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 8,159 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 845 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. About 21,800 households (19.6%) were made up of individuals, and 7,354 (6.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10. There were 83,154 families (74.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.56.

The population was distributed as 109,479 people (31.5%) under the age of 18, 37,368 (10.8%) aged 18 to 24, 97,024 (27.9%) aged 25 to 44, 74,276 (21.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 29,336 (8.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The 120,725 housing units averaged 840.6 per square mile (324.6/km²), of which 66,323 (59.7%) were owner-occupied, and 44,809 (40.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%. About 206,492 people (59.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 137,596 people (39.6%) lived in rental housing units.

Bakersfield has consistently ranked as one of the least educated metropolitan areas in the United States.[56][57] A study by the Brookings Institution using 2008 data found that the proportion of Bakersfield metro adults age 25 and over with a bachelor's degree was the lowest (14.7%) of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States; that 100th-place finish was down from being ranked 95th in 1990.[58]

According to a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, Bakersfield ranks as one of the ten most obese metro areas in America. Of its residents, 33.6% were found to be obese, compared to the national average of 26.5%.[59] The same study found that 21.2% were smokers, 12.7% had diabetes, 27.9% had high blood pressure, 22.8% had high cholesterol, 3.3% had a heart attack, 75.2% felt they had enough money to buy food and 75.5% had health insurance.[59]

Housing and development

Bakersfield has been known for being a fast-growing city and has seen its population more than triple over nearly 30 years from about 105,000 in 1980 to 347,000 in 2010. Although the city is still growing, its growth rate has slowed in recent years due to the economic recession and high home foreclosure rates. However, in October 2013, Bakersfield was found to be the number two city for real estate investment.[60]

The city of Shafter, a small farming town north of Bakersfield, has filed a suit to limit the northern expansion of Bakersfield's city limits. Shafter has also annexed large pieces of farmland to its east and south to ensure that Bakersfield does not envelop its southern area.[61]

The large bluff and plateau which lie east of Bakersfield—toward the Rio Bravo and Kern Canyon area—have been under development for the last 60 years. Because the steep, north-facing edge of the bluff provides a view of the foothills, mountains, oil fields, and Kern River, the city government has attempted to balance development and preservation in this area. It is estimated by local officials that Bakersfield and its outlying suburbs will reach a population of over one million people by 2020.

Economy

Bakersfield’s historic and primary industries have related to Kern County’s two main industries, oil and agriculture. Kern County is the most oil productive county in America, with around 10% of the nation’s domestic production.[62] Kern County is a part of the highly productive San Joaquin Valley, and ranks in the top five most productive agricultural counties in the nation.[62] Major crops for Kern County include: grapes, citrus, almonds, carrots, alfalfa, cotton, and roses.[63] The city serves as the home for both corporate and regional headquarters of companies engaged in these industries.

Bakersfield also has a growing manufacturing and distribution sector. Several companies have moved to Bakersfield because of its inexpensive land and access to the rest of America, as well as international ports in both Los Angeles and Oakland.[64] Other companies have opened regional offices and non-oil/agricultural businesses because of Bakersfield’s and Kern County’s business friendly policies, such as having no local utility or inventory taxes.[62] Products manufactured in the city include: ice cream (world’s largest ice cream plant), central vacuums, highway paint, and stock racing cars.[65]

Bakersfield is the largest city with the lowest sales tax in California at the state minimum of 7.25%.[66]

Top employers

According to the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce,[67] the top employers in the county based in Bakersfield are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 County of Kern 7,475
2 The Giumarra Companies 4,200
3 Grimmway Farms 3,500
4 Bolthouse Farms 2,000
5 Bakersfield Memorial Hospital 1,400
6 City of Bakersfield 1,300
7 Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield 1,200
7 ARB 1,200
9 Kern Medical Center 1,200
10 State Farm Insurance 1,045
11 Sun World 1,025
12 Chevron 1,000
13 Clinica Sierra Vista 1,000
14 San Joaquin Community Hospital 880
15 AndrewsAg 800
16 Sun Pacific 800
17 Paramount Farms 800
18 California State University, Bakersfield 600
19 Aera Energy 600
20 Kaiser Permanente 500

Arts and culture

Many of Bakersfield's oldest and most historic restaurants are Basque,[68] including Woolgrowers, Noriega's, Pyrenees, Benji's, and Narducci's.

The Kern County Museum, located on Chester Avenue just north of downtown Bakersfield holds a collection of regional artifacts. Permanent exhibits include: "Black Gold: The Oil Experience", a hands-on modern approach at showing how oil is extracted; and "The Lori Brock Children's Discovery Museum", a hands-on children's museum and a display on the influential "Bakersfield Sound" style of country music. Bakersfield is also home to the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, which has a collection of Miocene era marine fossils collected from the region as well as other displays.

Events

Bakersfield hosts horse shows all year round, including local, 4H, and breed shows.

Every spring, Bakersfield hosts one of California's Scottish Games and Clan Gatherings.[69] In the late summer, St. George's Greek Orthodox Church hosts an annual Greek Festival.

Every year during the summer, Bakersfield hosts the Lowrider National at the Kern County Fairgrounds.

Memorial Day weekend features the Kern County Basque Festival, sponsored by the Kern County Basque Club.[70] This three-day festival features food, music, dance, and handball games.

In March, Famoso Raceway holds the annual March Meet nostalgia drag racing event. The event dates back to the U.S. Fuel and Gas Finals held in March 1959.

Twice a year, the CSUB Indigenous Native American Club hosts a Native Gathering on the California State University Bakersfield campus at Runner Park.[71]

Native American Preservation Council of Kern County have hosted an annual intertribal pow wow every June since the 1990s.

In mid to late September, Bakersfield holds the annual Kern County Fair, which showcases the area's agricultural produce and animal husbandry, along with a rodeo, concerts, and a traditional carnival.

Previously every year and now every five years,[72] Bakersfield hosts a political conference known as the Bakersfield Business Conference. Since 1985, this conference has grown in attendance and as of 2007 the attendance numbered over 9,000. The Conference has had several notable political speakers to include Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, George Bush, Margaret Thatcher, Neil Armstrong, Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell, Mike Wallace, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Paul Harvey.[73]

Entertainment

The Fox Theater.

Bakersfield has five movie multi-screen theaters: Edwards Bakersfield Stadium 14, Reading Cinemas Valley Plaza 16, Maya Cinemas Bakersfield 16, and Regency Theatres East Hills 10. There is also a second-run theater; Starplex Cinemas 6. The historic downtown Fox Theater (Bakersfield, California) has been renovated, and is now a venue for concerts, musicians, comedians, and movies.

Music

Classical

The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra has been performing for over 80 years.[74]

Country

Bakersfield is known for the Bakersfield sound, "a twangy style of steel guitar music made popular by hometown country crooners Buck Owens and Merle Haggard."[75]

Doowop

Bakersfield is also known for Doowop music dating back from the early-to-mid 1950s' to the early-to-late 1960s'. Which consist of Doowop vocal groups such as: The Paradons, The Colts, The Rev-Lons, and more. [76][77][78]

Rock

In 1972, Bob Weir released the song "Mexicali Blues" on his first solo album, Ace. Not only does the sound of the song pay tribute to the Bakersfield sound, but the name of the city is referenced in the lyrics.

In 1978, The Rolling Stones released the song "Far Away Eyes" on the album Some Girls. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards collaborated extensively on writing the song and it was recorded in late 1977. The Rolling Stones, longtime country music fans, incorporated many aspects of "Bakersfield sound" country music into this song. Bakersfield is mentioned in the first line of the song.

In the early 1990s, a group of friends from the lower and middle-class parts of Northeast and East Bakersfield formed the alternative metal band KoRn. The members of the band attended Highland High School (Jonathan Davis and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu), East High School (James "Munky" Shaffer and lead guitarist Brian "Head" Welch) and South High School (David Silveria). Korn have sold over 40 million albums worldwide and were given the keys to the city.

Orange County punk band Social Distortion have a song on their 2011 album Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes entitled "Bakersfield."

San Jose, California pop punk band Four O'clock Heroes have a song on their 2012 album "Take Control" named "Bakersfield."

Websites

There are several websites that cover Bakersfield and what happens in and around the city. The most notable of these are The Bakersfield Californian and Bakersfield Magazine[79] websites.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Bakersfield
Rabobank Arena

Bakersfield is currently home to three minor league professional sports teams. They are: Blaze (Baseball, CL), Condors (Hockey, AHL), and Jam (Basketball, D-League). In addition, Bakersfield has two colleges with strong athletics programs. Bakersfield College Renegades is a community college with 19 varsity sports, the most notable being football.[80] It competes in the Western State Conference, which is a part of the California Community College Athletic Association. California State University, Bakersfield Roadrunners is a university with 15 varsity sports, the most notable being basketball.[81] It is a part of NCAA division I and was just accepted as a member of the Western Athletic Conference[82]

Bakersfield is also located near a variety of racing sports. Current racing sports include: drag strip (at Famoso Raceway), dirt (at Bakersfield Speedway), and paved (at Buttonwillow Raceway). The national jet boat association holds drag boat races at Lake Ming. Bakersfield was also home to Mesa Marin Raceway, a NASCAR associated oval track, but was demolished in 2004. A replacement, the Kern County Raceway Park, was under construction and was expected to open by 2008, but was delayed until eventually 2013 because of a lack of funding.[83] Bakersfield is also the home town of four time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, as well as the 2007 Daytona 500 winner, and 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Kevin Harvick.

Bakersfield has many venues for a variety of different sports. One of the most notable and versatile is the Rabobank Arena (formerly the Centennial Garden) which hosts concerts, shows, and sporting events. In addition, Bakersfield has facilities that can host tournament games. The Kern County Soccer Field has 24 full-size light soccer fields.[84] Also, currently under construction is the Bakersfield Sports Village. When completed, it will have 16 baseball fields, 6 football fields, and 16 soccer fields.[85]

OHV Park

Bakersfield is home to a large population of off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts. As of May 2001, over 18,000 OHVs were registered in Kern County.[86] On May 26, 2005, the City of Bakersfield and the State of California Parks department obtained an assignable option, using a grant from the OHV Trust funds, to purchase a prospective 11,000 acres (45 km2) site for an OHV park.[87] Ruth Coleman, Director of California State Parks, remarked, "This project responds to the needs of the Bakersfield community for increased recreation opportunities and will provide a cornerstone for the Central Valley Strategy." Several programs, including National 4-H and California Off-Road PALS, exist to train youth in proper OHV recreation.[88]

Government and politics

For current elected officials and representative districts (all levels of government), see List of elected officials in Bakersfield.
City Hall is the seat of government for the city. Both the mayor's office and city council chambers are located inside.

Local government

Federally, Bakersfield is located in California's 23rd congressional district, which is represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy. Bakersfield uses the Council-Manager form of government, in which the City Council is the primary governing authority.[89] The City Council consists of seven members, elected from seven wards (or districts). The Mayor is elected at large, and is the presiding member of the City Council, although he does not cast a vote except in a few instances.[90] The City Council appoints and confirms (which the mayor does cast a vote[90]) both the City Attorney and the City Manager.[91] The City Manager, in turn, appoints (does not require confirmation from the City Council) the Finance Director, City Clerk, and Deputy City Clerk.[92] In addition to these positions, Bakersfield also has several departments, used to provide the services necessary to the city. They are: Department of Development Services, Department of Economic and Community Development, Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Public Works, Department of Recreation and Parks, and Department of Water Resources.

The framework for the city government is defined in the City Charter. As of 2011, it contained 11 articles and 4 addendums.[93] The current version was adopted on January 23, 1915.[94] Little information is known about the City Charter adopted in 1873, or in 1898, when the city was incorporated. The City Charter has been amended several times since it was adopted. One of the more definitive amendments was to change the Mayor from an appointed position (by the City Council) to an elected position in 1956, which was done as a result of the 1952 Kern County earthquake.[95]

Political makeup

An August 2005 article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer listed Bakersfield as the eighth-most-conservative city in the United States and the most conservative city in California.[96] In the 2008 Presidential election, Republican John McCain received 55.6% of the city's votes to Democrat Barack Obama's 42.9%.[97] The same year, Bakersfield cast 75.2% of its votes in favor of Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.[98]

Public safety

Law enforcement within the city limits is provided by the Bakersfield Police Department. Fire protection within the city is provided by the Bakersfield Fire Department. The Kern County Fire Department protects the county as a whole.

Police

The Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) is the agency responsible for law enforcement. It has over 363 officers and 100 professional staff, covering an area of 145 square miles (380 km2) serving an urban population of more than 800,000. The current chief of the department (as of 2010) is Greg Williamson. The department protects the city, split between two areas: West area and East area, with police headquarters in the east and the west substation serving west Bakersfield. The department administration is made up of the chief of police, one assistant chief, four captains and eleven lieutenants.[99]

The department headquarters are located at 1601 Truxtun Avenue. The West Substation is located at 1301 Buena Vista Road. Satellite offices are located on E. 11th St. and on E. White Ln. The department pistol range is located on Truxtun Avenue, with the K-9 training grounds next door to the range. The department training academy is located on Norris Road in conjunction with the Kern County Sheriff's Department.

In all, 13 people have been killed so far this year by law enforcement officers in Kern County, which has a population of just under 875,000. During the same period, nine people were killed by the NYPD across the five counties of New York City, where almost 10 times as many people live and about 23 times as many sworn law enforcement officers patrol. As such, police in Kern County, California, have killed more people per capita than in any other American county in 2015.[100]

Fire

The Bakersfield Fire Department's communications division, known as ECC (Emergency Communications Center), is located in the Whiting Communications Center in Northeast Bakersfield. ECC is a joint dispatch center for the Kern County, Bakersfield City and California City Fire Departments. Built in 1988, ECC is responsible for dispatching resources over an area of approximately 8,100 square miles (21,000 km2) that includes 65 fire stations. ECC's approximate call volume is 82,000 calls a year and processes Emergency and Non-Emergency Fire and Medical 911 calls for the entire County of Kern.[101]

The Kern County Fire Department (KCFD) is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the county of Kern, California, USA. With over 625 permanent employees and 100 extra help employees protecting an area which spans over 8,000 square miles (21,000 km2). KCFD provides fire protection services for over 500,000 citizens living in the unincorporated areas of Kern County and the cities of Arvin, Delano, Maricopa, McFarland, Ridgecrest, Shafter, Taft, Tehachapi and Wasco. This agency is contracted to provide dispatch services for the California City Fire Department, Kern Ambulance based in Wasco, and Care Ambulance based in Lake Isabella. Over 546 uniformed firefighters are stationed in 46 fire stations throughout the county. www.kerncountyfire.org

Crime

For more details on this topic, see Bakersfield Police Department.

The number of violent crimes recorded by the Bakersfield Police Department in its 2008 Crime Reports was 5,961.[102] 27 of those were murders and homicides.[103] Data collected by Bakersfield Police Department, an anti-gang program under the city of Bakersfield, shows that the city of Bakersfield has experienced an increase in gang membership and gang activity since the early 2000s.

Jails

The Bakersfield Police Department has a holding area, but inmates are transported to the Kern County Central Receiving Facility in Bakersfield. Sentenced criminals are held at the Lerdo Detention Facility, just outside the city's limits.[104] The Kern County Sheriff's Office, Detentions Bureau has an average daily inmate population of approximately 2,500 inmates.[105]

The primary facility for receiving inmates arrested in the Bakersfield area is the Central Receiving Facility.[106] In addition, there is the Lerdo Complex, which consists of three facilities:

  1. The Lerdo Minimum Security Facility holds inmates of lower security levels.[107]
  2. The Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility holds inmates of higher security levels.[108]
  3. The Lerdo Max/Med Security Facility holds overflow inmates from the Pre-Trial Facility.[109]

Education

CSUB's Walter Stiern Library

Two of the earliest schools founded in Kern County were Mrs. Thomas Baker's school, opened in 1863 at the Baker home (near present-day 19th and N Streets); and a Catholic parochial school opened by Reverend Father Daniel Dade in 1865 in Havilah (then the county seat). In 1880, Norris School was established. The land for this school was donated by William Norris, a local farmer. Thirteen to twenty students were taught in its one classroom during the 1880s. Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) is the state's largest elementary school district. The first high school in Bakersfield, Kern County Union High School, opened in 1893. It was renamed Bakersfield High School after World War II.

Bakersfield College

The site at California Avenue and F Street is the location of the first campus of Bakersfield College, which was established in 1913 and relocated in 1956 to its current location overlooking the Panorama Bluffs in northeast Bakersfield. Bakersfield College has an enrollment of 16,000 students. To serve a growing baby-boomer population after World War II, the Kern High School District has steadily expanded to nineteen campuses and more than 35,000 students, making it the largest high school district in the state. In 1965, a university in the California State University system was founded in Bakersfield. California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) has approximately 7,800 students. It was an NCAA Division II sports powerhouse in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with some sports, including wrestling (Pac-10), competing in Division I. CSUB has become a Division I athletic school and is trying to begin the process of joining the Big West Conference. In 1982, Santa Barbara Business College was founded.

High schools

The Baker Street Branch Library, part of the Kern County Library system, is among the Bakersfield structures listed on the NRHP.

Bakersfield is part of the Kern High School District (KHSD), California's largest high school district,[110] comprising 28 schools and educating about 35,000 students. There are 15 high schools within the KHSD in Bakersfield:

Private high schools include Garces Memorial High School, Bakersfield Christian High School, and Bakersfield Adventist Academy.

Accredited colleges and universities

California State University, Bakersfield

California State University, Bakersfield ("CSUB", "CSU Bakersfield", or "Cal State Bakersfield") is a public university founded in Bakersfield in 1965. CSUB opened in 1970 on a 375 acres (1.52 km2) campus, becoming the 19th school in the California State University system. The university offers 31 bachelor's, and 22 master's degree programs. As of Fall 2002, some 7,700 undergraduate and graduate students attended CSUB, at either the main campus in Bakersfield or the satellite campus, Antelope Valley Center in Lancaster, California.

Bakersfield College

Main article: Bakersfield College

Bakersfield College ("BC") is a public community college located in Bakersfield, California. Its main campus is on a 153-acre (0.62 km2) plot in northeast Bakersfield, with two satellite campuses: the Weill Institute in downtown Bakersfield, and at the Delano Center in Delano, California, approximately 35 miles (56 km) north of Bakersfield. BC serves more than 18,000 students each semester and is part of the Kern Community College District. Currently there are a total of 184 Associate's degree and certificate programs for students to choose from. BC is a part of the California Community Colleges system.

Other colleges and universities

National University maintains a campus in Bakersfield, while the University of LaVerne, Fresno Pacific University, and Point Loma Nazarene University all have branch campuses located in Bakersfield. San Joaquin Valley College and Santa Barbara Business College also have campuses in Bakersfield.

Media

The Bakersfield Californian Building is also listed on the NRHP.

Bakersfield is served by several media outlets. The primary newspaper is The Bakersfield Californian, which is a direct descendant of the first paper published in the region, The Daily Courier in 1866.

The city has a number of television stations and network affiliates, including KERO-TV (ABC), KBAK-TV (CBS), KGET-TV (NBC), KBFX-CD (Fox), KABE-CD (Univision), KKEY-LP (Telemundo), KGET-DT2 (The CW) and is served by Fresno's PBS affiliate, KVPT. Bakersfield is also home to Spanish-language broadcaster Univision's only English-language station, KUVI-DT.

Transportation

Highways

California State Route 178 at M Street in Downtown Bakersfield.
Garces Circle
The old Southern Pacific Railroad station, currently the crew change depot for north and southbound Union Pacific Railroad trains. Old Town Kern is located primarily around Baker Street, near the former town of Sumner. It competed to be the commercial downtown, eventually losing to the present location west of Old Town.

Bakersfield is currently serviced by three freeways. State Route 99 bisects Bakersfield from north to south, while State Route 58 exists as a freeway east of SR 99, servicing the southeast part of the city and extending over the Tehachapi mountains to Tehachapi, Mojave, and Barstow. State Route 178 consists of a short segment of freeway that runs from a point near downtown to the northeastern part of the city, although there is currently no direct freeway connection between SR 99 and SR 178. Interstate 5, the fast north-south superhighway, bypasses the city several miles to the west.

Bakersfield is also served by a short, unsigned, four-lane freeway called Alfred Harrell Highway. It was constructed between 1956 and 1958 and extends from China Grade Loop to Hart Park (a large recreation park in northeast Bakersfield). There is also a two-lane expressway to the east of the park. This section was originally reserved to be converted to a four-lane freeway similar to the constructed western portion.[111] If it were ever constructed, it would have two interchanges at Morning Drive and Lake Ming Road and would terminate at the SR 178 adopted alignment (not constructed).

Both SR 58 and SR 178 have planned future extensions. SR 58 western extension is known as the Centennial Corridor, and will extend the freeway west to I-5.[112] Included in the Centennial Corridor is the Westside Parkway (sometime referred to by its formal name Kern River Freeway).[113] This is a new freeway which will run through western Bakersfield, on a route parallel to the Kern River and Stockdale Highway. SR 178 western extension is known as the Crosstown Freeway/SR 178 Connection, although it was formally known as the Centennial Corridor before that name was moved to SR 58. It will connect SR 178 to the Westside Parkway.[114]

In addition to these freeway extensions, there is also a proposed network of beltways. Currently there are two beltways being considered in Bakersfield. The West Beltway would run north-south from Seventh Standard Rd. to Taft Highway. It will run parallel to Heath Road to the north and parallel to South Allen Road to the south.[115] A future extension would connect the West Beltway to SR 99 and I-5, providing a bypass to Bakersfield. The South Beltway would run east-west from SR 58 to I-5. From SR 58, it would run south, parallel to Comanche Drive until Taft Highway. From there, the freeway would turn west, and run parallel to Taft Hwy. until terminating at I-5. A future extension would extend the freeway north to SR 178 and terminate at Alfred Harrell Highway. Bakersfield also envisioned CalTrans building a North Beltway as the western extension of SR 58, but has been withdrawn in favor of the Centennial Corridor.

Bakersfield is one of the largest cities in the U.S. that is not directly linked to an Interstate highway.[116] SR 99 and SR 58 have been considered for conversion to interstates. SR 99 would be a new interstate signed either as Interstate 7 or Interstate 9, while SR 58 would be an extension of I-40 which currently terminates in Barstow. In 2005 SR 99 was added to the FHWA list of high priority corridors as "California farm to market route" and designated a Future Interstate.[117][118]

Garces Memorial Traffic Circle, informally known as Garces Circle or just The Circle, is the only traffic circle in Bakersfield, California. The traffic circle is located at the intersection of Chester Avenue, Golden State Avenue (State Route 204) and 30th St in Bakersfield. The Circle was built circa 1932 as a part of US 99. A large sculpture of Father Francisco Garces was erected inside the circle in 1939.

Bus

Main article: Golden Empire Transit

Bakersfield is served by Golden Empire Transit.[119] Eighteen routes are operated, the majority of which serve the urbanized portion of the county which includes the city of Bakersfield. Bakersfield is also served by Kern Transit, which connects Bakersfield with other communities in Kern County. Intercity bus providers in Bakersfield include Greyhound, Orange Belt Stages, Intercalifornias, TUFESA, and Fronteras del Norte.[120]

Rail

Amtrak Station

For freight, Bakersfield is served directly by two class-1 railroads, Union Pacific, and BNSF. North of the city, each railroad uses its own rail lines; south of the city, they share a line owned by Union Pacific.[121] The route travels over Tehachapi Pass (and through the Tehachapi Loop).[122] There are several spur lines in and around Bakersfield. The majority are operated by the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, owned by Genesee & Wyoming.[123]

Passenger service is provided by the San Joaquin Route, operated by Amtrak California. The Bakersfield Amtrak Station is located downtown, at the intersection of S Street and Truxtun Avenue. The city is the southern terminus of the route. There are five Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach routes, which connect passengers to destination west, south, and east.[124] Kern Transit also uses the station as one of its hubs, connecting passengers to regions throughout Kern County.[125] A station for Bakersfield is planned as part of the California High Speed Rail system, now under construction.[126]

Meadows Field

Airport

Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield was recently rebuilt and dedicated as the William M. Thomas Terminal.[127]

Also located at the Airport: Hall Medivac Helicopter, International Flight Training Academy (a subsidiary of Japan's ANA Airlines), SRT Helicopter Flight School, and numerous other aviation mechanics and technicians. However, IFTA has suspended operations in March 2014.

Notable people

Sister cities

Bakersfield has five sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Rachel Rubin; Jeffrey Paul Melnick (June 2001). American Popular Music: New Approaches to the Twentieth Century. University of Massachusetts Press. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-55849-268-4.
  2. ↑ "California Cities by Incorporation Date" (Word). California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  3. ↑ Bakersfield, City of. "Mayor Harvey L. Hall". Bakersfield, City of. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  4. ↑ Bakersfield, City of. "City Manager". Bakersfield, City of. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  5. ↑ Bakersfield, City of. "Financial". Bakersfield, City of. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  6. ↑ Bakersfield, City of. "City Clerk's Office". Bakersfield, City of. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files – Places – California". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ↑ "Bakersfield". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  9. ↑ "Bakersfield (city) QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  10. ↑ •Urban and Rural Classification. US Census. 2010 Census. Accessed: April 5, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Kern County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  12. ↑ Top Population Rank: Cities 2000 and 2010. California Department of Finance. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 Facts and Information. Bakersfield Visitor and Convention Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Bakersfield California Home Inspectors". BakersfieldHomeInspector.biz. Retrieved 2009.
  15. ↑ Bakersfield – Oil Capital of California. San Joaquin Valley Geology. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  16. ↑ Community Profile. Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce. Page 4. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  17. ↑ Yokuts History and Cultural Relations from everyculture.com
  18. ↑ Yokuts Dwellings from bsahighadventure.org
  19. ↑ "History on gold & oil". oceanpark.ws. Retrieved 2009.
  20. ↑ "Full text of "California water"". CONTROLLING THE KERN RIVER Problems. archive.org. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mildred Brooke Hoover, Douglas E. Kyle (1990). Historic Spots in California. Stanford University Press. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-8047-1734-2.
  22. ↑ Lull, Gordon F. "Kern County Shapers". Bakersfield Magazine. Retrieved 2013-01-17. Baker ...was admitted to the Ohio bar at age 19 and later appointed a colonel in his home state's militia.
  23. ↑ Gavin, Camille. Leverett, Kathy. Kern's Movers & Shakers. Jostens. Visalia, California: 1987. ISBN 0-9618770-0-6. Page 13.
  24. ↑ Baily, Richard. Heart of the Golden Empire. Windsor Publications Inc, Woodland Hills, CA:1984. ISBN 0-89781-065-1. Page 51.
  25. ↑ "Disincorporation: Bakersfield ended soon after it began," Dianne Hardisty, Bakersfield Californian, July 9, 2011, http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/opinion/hot-topics/x1928174425/When-is-it-time-for-a-city-to-throw-in-the-towel
  26. ↑ Maynard, John. Bakersfield – A Centennial Portrait. Cherbo Publishing Group. Encino, California: 1997. ISBN 1-882933-19-2. Page 19.
  27. ↑ "Marshall Alex Mills and Bakersfield's Disincorporation of 1876," ver 2, by Gilbert P Gia. Bakersfield, California: 2011. http://www.gilbertgia.com/hist_articles/crime/Marshal_alex_mills_v2_cri.pdf
  28. ↑ Baily, Richard. Heart of the Golden Empire. Windsor Publications Inc, Woodland Hills, CA:1984. ISBN 0-89781-065-1. Page 71.
  29. ↑ Kern County Earthquake (1952), Southern California Earthquake Data Center
  30. ↑ Historical Census Populations of Counties and Incorporated Cities in California, 1850–2010. California Department of Finance. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  31. ↑ Brewer, Chris. Historic Kern County. Historic Publishing Network. San Antonio: 2001. ISBN 1-893619-14-1. Page 15.
  32. ↑ Regional Data – GDP and Personal Income. US Department of Commerce – Bureau of Economic Analyst. 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  33. ↑ "Bakersfield Geography". source. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved 2010.
  34. ↑ "The San Andreas Fault". USGS General Interest Publications. Retrieved 2010.
  35. ↑ Route 178 Corridor Study. KernCOG. December 1986. Page 42.
  36. ↑ Peel, M. C., Finlayson, B. L., and McMahon, T. A.: Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 11, 1633–1644, 200 7.
  37. ↑ Ozborn, Liz. Sunniest Places in United States. Current Results. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  38. 1 2 3 4 "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2013-06-30.
  39. ↑ "About tule fog". noaa.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  40. ↑ "home Home".
  41. ↑ "Bakersfield Climate". San Joaquin Geological Society. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  42. ↑ "Golden Gate Weather Services". GGWeather.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  43. ↑ Chris Stachelski; Gary Sanger (2008). "The Climate of Bakersfield, California" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
  44. ↑ "Bakersfield Monthly Rainfall By Year" (PDF). National Weather Service. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  45. ↑ "Climatography of the United States No. 20: BAKERSFIELD KERN CO AP, CA 1971–2000" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  46. ↑ People at Risk In 25 U.S. Cities Most Polluted American Lung Association. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  47. ↑ www.DontGoThere.orgDon't Go There!, Peter Greenberg, Rodale, 2009
  48. ↑ "Choked: The most polluted cities of the world's largest economies". Daily Chart (The Economist). January 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  49. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  51. ↑ "Bakersfield (city), California". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau.
  52. 1 2 3 4 "California – Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
  53. 1 2 From 15% sample
  54. ↑ "2010 Census P.L. 94-171 Summary File Data". United States Census Bureau.
  55. ↑ "Bakersfield (city), California". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
  56. ↑ Joshua Zumbrun, America's Best- And Worst-Educated Cities, Forbes, November 28, 2008, Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  57. ↑ The LEAST Educated Cities In America (PHOTOS), The Huffington Post, July 19, 2010, Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  58. ↑ Educational Attainment, The State of Metropolitan America, The Brookings Institution, Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  59. 1 2 Elizabeth Mendes, What America's Most Obese Metro Areas Have in Common, Gallup, March 2, 2010, Retrieved May 19, 2011.
  60. ↑ “ Worth noting in business: Kern’s rental market ranks second in U.S.” The Bakersfield Californian. 03 Oct. 2013.
  61. ↑ Wenner, Gretchen (October 3, 2007). "Firm pulls out of housing project". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  62. 1 2 3 About Bakersfield. City of Bakersfield Economic & Community Development. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  63. ↑ 2008 Kern County Agricultural Crop Report. County of Kern: Department of Agriculture and Measurement Standards. 2008. Page 1.
  64. ↑ Building the economy: Kern works to attract distribution centers. The Bakersfield Californian. November 7, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  65. ↑ Some companies that call Bakersfield home. City of Bakersfield Economic & Community Development. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  66. ↑ California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates. California State Board of Equalization. April 1, 2005. Retrieved March 13, 2012. Archived June 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  67. ↑ Major Employers In Kern County from Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce
  68. ↑ "Bakersfield Basque Symposium". John M. Ysursa. May 31, 2006. Retrieved November 18, 2006.
  69. ↑ "Kern County Scottish Society". Kernscot.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  70. ↑ "Kern County Basque Club". KCBasqueClub.com. March 20, 1944. Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  71. ↑ "horse.robinson — Red Bear Circle Native Gathering". Horse.robinson.googlepages.com. April 28, 2007. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  72. ↑ "Bakersfield Business Conference to Return in 2010".
  73. ↑ "Bakersfield Business Conference 2008". Borton Petrini Conron. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  74. ↑ "BSO History", Jerome S. Kleinsasser, BSO History.
  75. ↑ Tracie Cone," Associated Press, "Bakersfield Enjoys Economic Vitality," Fresno Bee, January 1, 2013
  76. ↑ “THE REV-LONS ¬- BOY TROUBLE” THE REV-LONS (2010). White Doowop Collectors p.1 http:// whitedoowopcollector.blogspot.com retrieved 29-01-2016
  77. ↑ "The Paradons" Discography www.discog.com 26-05-2015 May 25, 2015
  78. ↑ The Colts, MTV Bio www.mtv.com 05-16-2015 Retrieved May 18, 2015
  79. ↑ "Bakersfield Magazine". Bakersfield Magazine.
  80. ↑ Athletics. Bakersfield College. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  81. ↑ Home Page. California State University, Bakersfield. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  82. ↑ "CSUB To Western Athletic Conference in 2013". Cal State University-Bakersfield.
  83. ↑ Kern River Raceway developer seeks buyer as it files for bankruptcy. The Bakersfield Californian. May 11, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  84. ↑ Home Page. Kern County Soccer Park. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  85. ↑ Bakersfield Sports Village. City of Bakersfield. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  86. ↑ "KOHVA — Kern Off-Highway Vehicle Association". Kohva.com. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  87. ↑ "Site Located for State Vehicular Recreation Area" (PDF) (Press release). The City of Bakersfield and the State of California. May 26, 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
  88. ↑ "Friends of Kern Open Space". Kohva.com. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  89. ↑ History of Bakersfield. City of Bakersfield. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  90. 1 2 Bakersfield City Charter. Article III, Section 14.
  91. ↑ Bakersfield City Chater. Article IV, Section 34.
  92. ↑ Bakersfield City Charter. Article IV, Section 38, 40, 40 1/2.
  93. ↑ Charter of the City of Bakersfield. Quality Code Publishing. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  94. ↑ Charter History. Quality Code Publishing. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  95. ↑ Bailey, Richard (1984). Heart of the Golden Empire: An Illustrated History of Bakersfield. Woodland Hills, CA: Windsor Publications. ISBN 0-89781-065-1. p. 98.
  96. ↑ Modie, Neil (August 11, 2005). "Where have Seattle's lefties gone?". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  97. ↑ California 2008 U.S. Presidential Election Results by Political Districts
  98. ↑ California 2008 Ballot Measures by Political Districts
  99. ↑ Home Page. Bakersfield Police Department. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  100. ↑ Jon Swaine. "The County: the story of America's deadliest police". the Guardian.
  101. ↑ "Emergency Communications Center". Bakersfield Fire Department. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
  102. ↑ "Crime Statistics for Bakersfield". Bakersfield Police Department. Retrieved 2009.
  103. ↑ "Homicides up for 2008". The Bakersfield Californian. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  104. ↑
  105. ↑
  106. ↑ "Kern Sheriff – Central Receiving Facility". Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved 2010.
  107. ↑ "Kern Sheriff – Minimum Security". Archived from the original on September 27, 2010. Retrieved 2010.
  108. ↑ "Kern Sheriff – Pre-Trial Facility". Retrieved 2010.
  109. ↑ "Kern Sheriff – Max-Med Security". Archived from the original on September 27, 2010. Retrieved 2010.
  110. ↑ William D. Fillmore (August 4, 2004). "Shake up plans for high schools in Kern County". Bakersfield Californian. pp. B7.
  111. ↑ "Alfred Harrell Highway-Bakersfield". Los Angeles Rocks 'n Roads. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  112. ↑ "Centennial Corridor Project Description". TRIP (Thomas Roads Improvement Program). Archived from the original on October 1, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  113. ↑ "Westside Parkway". TRIP (Thomas Roads Improvement Program). Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  114. ↑ Progress Report 2008/2009. TRIP (Thomas Roads Improvement Program). Page 7.
  115. ↑ "West Beltway". TRIP (Thomas Roads Improvement Program). Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  116. ↑ "Interstate 5 @ Interstate-Guide.com". Interstate-guide.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  117. ↑ "Interstate 9". AARoads Interstate Guide. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  118. ↑ "State Route 58". California Highways. Archived from the original on October 2, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  119. ↑ "Welcome to Golden Empire transit District – the GET bus!". Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
  120. ↑ "AIBRA - Find a Station". Retrieved 2015-05-02.
  121. ↑ System Map. BNSF. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  122. ↑ History of the Tehachapi Loop. Tehachapi Online. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  123. ↑ San Joaquin Valley Railroad. Rail America. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  124. ↑ San Joaquin Route Timetable. Amtrak. Effective: January 9, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  125. ↑ Transit Schedule. Kern Regional Transit. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  126. ↑ California High-Speed Rail
  127. ↑ "Bakersfield Meadows Field Website". Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  128. ↑ Partisan District of Minsk, Belarus. Bakersfield Sister City Project. Copyright 2009–2010. Accessed: September 9, 2011.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, May 05, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.